The Accidental Aquarist . . .

[Brian_G]

I wouldnt worry about trying to grow coralline. it will grow on its own as long as you get a piece of LR with some on it on there.

If you keep your calcium alk and mag levels good it will grow rather quickly.

 

[mikewurtz]

Good. My plan is to buy 50-60 more lbs of dry rock and (with proper procedure of course) incorporate my live rock and construct an aquascape to fill out my tank.

Which brings another question . . .

Right now I do 20% water changes every 2-3 weeks.

Are the percentages for water changes made based on tank volume or actual water volume? The displacement caused by 50-60 lbs of additional rock will considersably decrease my water volume. Should I still consider 18 gallons 20%?

 

[Bifferwine]

Water changes are based on tank volume. So, you'll calculate your percentage based on 90 gallons.

 

[sen5241b]

You got all that fro free? I wish you knew how much we all spent on our tanks.

 

[mikewurtz]

I know!! There were a few times when I first got it that I wanted to just throw in the towel because it was difficult to handle it all at once. The sheer cost alone that I had saved by getting it for free was one of the things that kept me going initially. Once I decided to really buckle down and soak up any and all info that I could it has been one of the greatest hobbies Ive ever picked up. I've been so blessed first by the awesome gift it's become and secondly by how rewarding it's been.

 

[yote]

Reefing IS an awesome hobby.:D Plus it'll force you to lern things you never thought you needed to know.Like chemistry,biology,electricial,how sneak new additions past your wife,getting rid of receipts before the wife finds them.:mrgreen:

BTW
The easy way to get coralline to spread is to keep your calcium,alkalinity,and magnesium levels right.Then take a NEW hard bristle tooth brush and scrub some of the coralline you already have growing.

 

[BL1]

how sneak new additions past your wife,getting rid of receipts before the wife finds them.:mrgreen:

I should have joined this hobby earlier, I was never able to sneak anything past mine

 

[mikewurtz]

Luckily my significant other really loves the tank, she's actually begging me to 'make it prettier' :)

 

[Leslee]

Luckily my significant other really loves the tank, she's actually begging me to 'make it prettier' :)

Haha when I first picked out the fish for my tank I told the guy who helped me at my LFS that I wanted the most colorful fish so it would be pretty. I even chose a green corris wrasse over another fish because of its color! LOL!

 

[mikewurtz]

I think that's a great plan Leslee. I mean isn't that the whole point? To have something beautiful to look at. If you're gonna go boring go freshwater :)

 

[coolhandgoose]

Hi, welcome to the site.

Just curious how much live rock do you currently have in the tank?

 

[mikewurtz]

I haven't weighed it but I'm guessing only 20-30 lbs

 

[coolhandgoose]

Wow, you have a LOT of fish for not very much live rock. I'd say keep up with a lot of water changes until you get more biological filtration.

 

[sen5241b]

I've been so blessed first by the awesome gift it's become and secondly by how rewarding it's been.

"Blessed"? More like "addicted"! You are now officially a Reefaholic! Yes, this hobby is wonderfully obsessive.

 

[mikewurtz]

"Blessed"? More like "addicted"! You are now officially a Reefaholic! Yes, this hobby is wonderfully obsessive.

Guilty!! It's friggin awesome. I went to check out (just to check out I told myself no buying!!) a LFS in town that I hadn't been to yet and I walked out of there with several lbs of live rock ( fresh shipment, $3.99 a lb :shock: ) and 7 snails.

This hobby is like crack ... without the brain damage.

 

[Bifferwine]

This hobby is like crack ... without the brain damage.

Unfortunately, a crack hobby would probably be cheaper :(.